Using NewsHour Extra Worksheets

Overview: NewsHour Extra worksheets can help students follow along and identify key points in NewsHour science broadcast pieces.

Warm Up: Introduce the topic of the broadcast piece and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Hand out the worksheet and have students answer the questions as they watch the NewsHour segment.

Need a DVD of the science segment?: Write to science@newshour.org.

Story: Ethanol Benefits Farmers, Raises Environmental Questions, 10/9/07
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec07/ethanol_10-09.html

Worksheet Questions: (click here for printout)

1. Why have corn prices risen recently?

Corn is the main ingredient used to produce ethanol, and the country is turning to ethanol to reduce the amount of oil used for fuel.

2. What percentage of the country's gasoline does President Bush aim to replace with ethanol and other renewable fuels?

Twenty percent.

3. Why does professor Jan Krieder think that ethanol is a "flawed" fuel option?

A lot of water is needed to grow corn, and possibly oil to transport it. Krieder believes that producing and transporting ethanol will generate more greenhouse gasses than simply using gasoline.

4. Why does ethanol plant manager Dave Kramer think that Yuma County, Colorado, is a good place for an ethanol production plant?

Because the location is near both corn fields, to supply the plant, and a major city -- Denver -- that would use the fuel.

5. What is cellulosic ethanol and what are its potential advantages?

Cellulosic ethanol is ethanol made from plant material such as prairie grass, hardwood, and corn waste like husks and stalks. The advantages are that these materials are more abundant and take less water to grow than feed corn.

For more NewsHour Science Reports, go to www.pbs.org/newshour/science.

For more science lesson plans and worksheets, go to www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/science.